How many times will we fall for the trap From Software sets for. Just like the Souls games Bloodborne is another though-as-nails action adventure game. Reach that next lantern or defeat the an intimidating boss and they have you hook, line, and, sinker. Bloodborne does mix things up a bit but if you have played the souls series you'll at least understand the basic framework. The unique art direction combined with new combat features definitely makes this new series worthwhile. I guess the only real question is the pain worth the gain?
In Bloodborne you must be prepared to fight battle after battle as you progress. Even the most basic enemies can take you out if there are too many of them or you're too careless. Thankfully if you just take a hit or two you can actually recover some of the health you just lost simply by attacking back. One of the coolest features in Bloodborne is the weapon transformations. All the weapons in the game have two different states you can switch between on the fly. These transformations can effect your speed, range, and power. You also can wield a gun in your other hand. These guns aren't just for shooting willy-nilly, they are actually designed to counter enemy attacks. Shoot your opponent right before they are about to hit you to expose them for a devastating critical attack.
Defeating enemies grants you blood echos you need to level-up, buy items, and upgrade your weapons. Leveling-up is key to being able to use different weapons as well as overall survive-ability. As you upgrade your weapons you unlock slots for blood-gems. These gems will grant various boosts to your attacks. Be careful not to carry around too many echos because if you die you will lose them all and have to return to the spot of your death to retrieve them. If there was an enemy near by you may need to kill them to get your echos back!
For better or worse From Software creates such unique and complex worlds that I would be kidding myself if I thought I could describe them in much detail. The art direction is great from the hideous monsters to the breath-taking environments. Yet again I'm sure there is a story but it goes way over my head. Apparently its the night of the hunt and all the smart people have locked themselves in their homes. Should you need to take a break from all the fighting you can escape to the hunter's dream. The dream works as a save point but going there also re-spawns all the enemies!
Bloodborne may be have its own world but it has has the same strengths and weakness as Dark Souls. Every boss defeated and lantern reached provides an incredible sense of accomplishment. Everyone gets something different out of these games. I personally love the exploration. The bosses are a high point for many but I don't care for them too much. Most of the bosses in this game were fine but I've never been a fan of memorizing patterns. That all said Bloodborne does have some cool unique features with the transforming weapons and aggressive health recovery system. It is certainly worth a play-through as long as you can handle the challenge... and a challenge it is.